On average, one out of every five persons between the ages of 20 and 70 requires treatment for some venous problem, and even one out of three experiences pathological venous changes that although not yet requiring invasive treatment nevertheless cause problems and can require treatment later on. This is due in general to an often hereditary weakness in connective tissue that causes slackening of the walls of the veins, leading to an inadequate capability of the valves in the veins to close. The result is a reduction in the venous return flow from the legs into the trunk. A shoe insole for such persons is known from European Patent Disclosure EP 0 971 606 B1. By synergistically reinforcing muscular contraction during motion of the ankle joints, such shoe insoles considerably improve the venous return from the foot through the legs into the trunk. Because the cushion-like or cushion layers are not raised in solitary fashion but instead are placed in plateau-like or plateau form in certain areas of the foot and are subdivided in a targeted way into separate fields, suitable abutment areas are created that positively affects contraction of the musculature in the foot. Not only when the foot is in motion, but also to a large extent while the person is standing, these discrete abutment points press mechanically and homogeneously on the venous and lymphatic vascular system because of the inducement and stimulation of muscular contraction, leading to the aforementioned increase in venous return from the legs toward the trunk. This characteristic reinforcing motion promotes the activity of the so-called muscular pump of the foot and calf.
Moreover, in Germany, there are about 5,000,000 diabetic, in whom what is called a “diabetic foot” can occur in a more or less severe form. This means ulcerated wounds on the sole of the forefoot, which can become infected and not infrequently lead to the necessity of amputation of the foot (approximately 25,000 instances per year in Germany). The causes of the diabetic foot are found in the fact that because of the diabetic metabolism situation in the arterial vascular system, constrictions and sometimes closure of major arteries (macroangiopathy) and smaller arteries and capillaries (microangiopathy) occur. As a result, the tissue and in particular the skin is no longer adequately supplied with oxygen and partly breaks down (forming an ulcerated place). Because of the reduced function particularly of the arterial capillaries, the nerves of the skin are no longer adequately nourished, and diabetic polyneuropathy occurs. This means that sensitivity and hence the perception of pain decrease markedly in the patient in the area of skin that is no longer adequately nourished, and hence anatomically dictated pressure points are no longer felt, and the skin can be damaged “painlessly” as a result, leading to an ulcerated place in the skin in this area.